Broadway is Wicked is a blog aimed at fans of the smashing-hit show Wicked The Musical. In this site you will find all kind of news, videos, photos, interviews and other things related to Wicked –Broadway, National Tours, Australia Tour and West End- and other stuff related to Broadway and theatre in general.

Tag Archives: Megan Hilty

Wicked is easily one of the most successful musicals to hit
Broadway in the past decade. It consistently plays to sold out crowds in New
York, and supports two national tours as well as a trio of international
runs. Truthfully, its hard to think of Broadway these days without the
witches of Oz. With all of this success, let’s take a look at actors thatWicked has made famous over the years.

Kristin Chenoweth – No list would be complete without the original
Glinda. The role wasn’t Chenoweth’s first flirtation with fame, as she
locked down her only Tony Award for her performance as Sally in You’re a
Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1999. In June 2003, she followedWicked to San Francisco for its tryout at the Curran Theatre then
hopped back to New York for its official opening in October. After a year as
Galinda, she bid ado to the part. In the eight years since, she has been
involved in several Broadway, television and film projects. She’s perhaps
best known for her recurring role on Glee as April Rhodes as well
as the critically acclaimed, yet short lived television series Pushing
Daisies. She returned to Broadway in 2006 with the revival of The
Apple Tree and again in 2010 opposite Sean Hayes in Promises,
Promises. She has four albums to her name with her most recent being a
country turn on Some Lessons Learned.

Idina Menzel – Chenoweth’s cohort in the original production ofWicked, Idina Menzel is perhaps best known for the work she did
prior to Wicked in Broadway’s Rent. After an Off-Broadway and
Broadway run that stretched over a year and a half, she gathered her
accolades in search of other projects. Menzel was also part of the originalWicked cast who enthralled San Fran audiences before storming
Broadway. After getting the Tony nomination for Rent, she won Best
Leading Actress in a Musical for her work as a green girl inWicked. Her portrayal of Elphaba beat out Chenoweth for the high
honor. She also opened Wicked on the West End in 2006 when she
reprised her role. Menzel has gone on to star in the Rent motion
picture. Though she has had supporting roles on Glee as well as an
array of film projects (Enchanted, Kissing Jessica Stein),
her key successes in the years since Wicked have come through recording and
touring. She’s played several sold out tours supporting her four album
releases. She’s shared the stage with the likes of Josh Groban, sang
“Defying Gravity” for the president, and played with some of the world’s
most prestigious orchestras. Even with all that stuffing her resume, many
women will always see her crowning achievement as snagging her husband, her
sexy Rent co-star Taye Diggs. As an interesting side note, Diggs
briefly subbed in as Fiyero in 2003.

Megan Hilty – Fresh out of Carnegie Mellon, Hilty started as a
standby for Galinda before taking over the role in Wicked on
Broadway in May 2005. She stayed on for a year before departing to take
Wicked on the road at the tail end of 2006. She even took a turn in the Los
Angeles production of Wicked in 2007. Its fair to say no actress
knows the heart and soul of Galinda better than Hilty. She took another turn
on Broadway in the Dolly Parton inspired 9 to 5: The Musical in
2009. These days she is best known for her work as Marilyn in the hit NBC
show Smash. She battles with American Idol darling
Katharine McPhee for the lead role in this inside look at the inner workings
of a Broadway production.

Adam Lambert – Speaking of American Idol, season eight
runner-up Adam Lambert cut his teeth in theatre before he became a
television sensation. He served as an understudy for Fiyero and an ensemble
cast member in the national touring production of Wicked in 2005
and took another stint in the Los Angeles production in 2007. For those who
watched him torch the competition on Idol, it is easy to see how
that early drama work paid huge dividends once he hit the national stage. In
the days since American Idol, Lambert has released a duo of
successful albums as well sang as a stand-in for Queen frontman Freddie
Mercury on the band’s 2012 European festival dates.

Patty Duke – Duke was a fixture in America’s heart long before Wicked
was ever conceived. She starred in The Patty Duke Show during the
60s as well as highly acclaimed roles in The Miracle Worker andValley of the Dolls. She would win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar
for her portrayal of Helen Keller. She took a stab at Madame Morrible whenWicked returned to San Francisco in 2009. She stayed on in the role
for a year.

By Troy Christian, editor of Broadway Tour. For complete tour cities, cast
information and the latest show updates, visit the Wicked Tour page at
BroadwayTour.net. Follow Broadway Tour on Facebook and Twitter @BroadwayTours.

With over 4o% of the votes currently Glinda in the Australian Production of Wicked, gets the award of “Favourite Glinda”.

Second place was for Kristin Chenoweth former Glinda – Original Cast in Broadway with 17% of the votes. Surprisingly third place went to Annaleigh Ashford with 10 per cent. Then, Kendra Kassembaum with 8%, Alli Mauzey with 6% and Dianne Pilkington & Megan Hilty tied with 4%.

9 To 5: The Musical has played yesterday its final Broadway performance. After following 24 previews and 148 performances the comedy musical that had opened the Marriott Marquis Theatre on April 30, 2009 and starring four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, and two-time Tony Award nominee Marc Kudisch has finally came to an end.

An extensive national tour of 9 To 5: The Musical will launch the week of September 20, 2010 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville.

9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist. With direction by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello and choreography by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 To 5: The Musical has a book by Patricia Resnick, based on her original story and screenplay for the smash 1980 film comedy.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better experience on my first Broadway show,” said Dolly Parton. “I’ve had the privilege of working with an amazing group of people who have become like family to me. I can’t wait for this show to hit the road so people across the country can see why I’m so proud of everyone involved. And I’m so pleased that we’ll be opening the tour in Nashville. Great things happen in Nashville.”

I just spoted over Broadwayworld that Broadway production of 9 To 5: The Musical is due to close on Sunday, September 6, 2009, producers announced. After 24 previews and 148 performances. 9 To 5: The Musical that currently plays at the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway) and starring four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, and two-time Tony Award nominee Marc Kudisch will change schedule on an extensive national tour.

9 To 5: The Musical National Tour will launch the week of September 20, 2010 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville.

9 To 5: The Musical marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist. With direction by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello and choreography by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 To 5: The Musical has a book by Patricia Resnick, based on her original story and screenplay for the smash 1980 film comedy

Broadway production “9 to 5” has recently announced the release of Original Musical Cast Recording – now available on iTunes. Featuring Stephanie J. Block, Allison Janney and Megan Hilty as top performers, this new score portrays multiple Grammy Award®-winning songwriter Dolly Parton’s music in 18 original tracks for the musical “9to5”.